


Netherfield Is Let at Last

by raptorginger



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Ben "I'm a snooty English professor" Solo, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Professor Ben, Rating will change, Rey "don't read it if you don't like it" Johnson, Smut, i don't even know what i'm doing, i need to examine my life choices, pride and prejudice feels, romantic af, send help, writer rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-07-11 01:27:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15961778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptorginger/pseuds/raptorginger
Summary: Rey Johnson, writer (under the pseudonym Summer Niima) of the incredibly popular young adult novel seriesWars in Starlight, meets uptight and pretentious English and Linguistics professor Ben Solo at a neighbor's housewarming partyWhatever will happen next?moodboard byprinecssleia on tumblr





	1. Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Send help, lol

Early morning sunlight poured in to the cozy space through the large front window, casting soft threadbare fabrics, overstuffed chairs, and piles and piles of books in a warm glow. Dust motes floated delicately in the air, ethereal and golden in the light. A small piano sat silent in the corner of the room while a large fireplace stood dark and cold in the middle of a wall with a metal grate bearing delicate floral scrollwork before it. A laptop sat perched on the edge of an extra deep cushion of a very soft looking couch, the pattern of the fabric long faded by time. The whistle of a kettle sounded in the nearby kitchen, the smell of pastry, egg, and cheese softly scenting the air. A slight young woman in a grey lace trimmed tank top and matching sleep shorts, her chestnut hair pulled into a strange three bun configuration, poured hot water carefully into an ancient teapot. A small table stood beside a large paned window, its ledge occupied by a number of small pots containing a variety of herbs, with a delicate porcelain teacup waiting for the warm brew. A plate bearing a steaming ramekin containing a fluffy looking concoction of egg, cheese, and puff pastry stood at the ready.

Outside the window, a maelstrom of different foliage and colors could be seen, a small winding stone path cutting through the well tended but wild garden. A young man bounded carefully down the path to the kitchen door, pausing briefly at the window to give a playful _rat-a-tat-tat_ on the glass. The woman turned and waved, her smile bright and her hazel eyes sparkling. She stood on her toes to get down another teacup and plate, carefully placing another ramekin and fork on the table as well. The young man all but burst through the kitchen door as the woman placed the teapot in the middle of the small table.

“Oh my God, Rey!” Finn cried as he burst into Rey’s kitchen, disturbing the quaint coziness with his exclamation. He sat down in one of the chairs, bouncing in his seat.

Rey brushed her hands and sat down in the chair opposite, gently plucking a few leaves from one of the pots on the window sill and scattering them over her souffle. She poured herself a cup of tea, looking at Finn over the rim of her cup, one soft brown eyebrow arched as if to say _What?_

Finn dug his fork into his souffle, taking a large bite before answering. He closed his warm dark eyes in appreciation, making a satisfied humming sound as he chewed.

“Damn you make a good breakfast, Rey,” he proclaimed.

Rey laughed. Finn was so easily distracted, especially by food. “You know that gorgeous mansion down the road?” he asked as he gobbled up the rest of the souffle.

Rey nodded, her forkfuls much daintier. Rey lived on a winding dirt road, at the end of which stood a proud Craftsman style mansion. It had been on the market forever, as it needed quite a bit of work.

“Someone finally bought it!” Finn exclaimed.

Rey chortled. “‘Netherfield is let at last!’” she quoted. She and Finn, both Jane Austen fans, often joked about the mansion, calling it Netherfield. Finn liked to imagine that he’d meet his Mr. Bingley when the house finally sold. 

“Holdo said that the guy who bought it is single!” Finn waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “We’ll have to see if he’s more of a Bingley or a Darcy.”

Rey laughed again. “Well, whether he’s a Darcy or a Bingley, I hope for your sake he likes men.”

Finn gave her a broad smile and helped himself to another souffle.

***

The opportunity to find out presented itself a few weeks later when Rey found an invitation to a housewarming in her mailbox. Various kinds of trucks had been seen going up and down her little road, throwing up clouds of dust, almost everyday since Finn had told her the house had been sold. A Mr. Poe Dameron kindly requested her presence at an evening get together, very casual the invitation assured, and to bring a guest should she feel so inclined. Rey called Finn immediately to share the news.

“Housewarming at Netherfield, and I can bring a guest!” she announced joyfully.

“I am there!”

Rey told him the day and time and what she planned on wearing. They chatted for a bit longer before Finn had to go back to work. Seeing that the sun was shining still after a bout of rain, Rey pushed herself off her couch, went to her bedroom, and changed into a pair of denim shorts and a loose cream colored tank top. She shoved her feet into her worn Keen boots and rubbed some sunscreen over her exposed skin. Thus ready, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, tied a bandanna around her head and headed out into her garden, intent on pulling weeds and trimming the wilder parts of the hedges. 

The sun shined warm and lovingly on her shoulders as she worked. Rey loved the feeling of the sun’s rays on her skin. It was so much gentler here than where she’d grown up in the town of Niima. The sounds of bugs buzzed around her, and Rey turned her face up to the sun for a moment, enjoying the feeling. She opened her eyes and frowned when she heard a car turn onto the gravel road several yards away, tires grinding in the dirt. An engine gunned, and she watched, brows knitted together, as a sleek black convertible sped past and down the road. It was one she hadn’t seen drive by before. Rey caught a glimpse of pale skin and dark hair in the car’s red interior, but that was all. She hoped it was one of Mr. Dameron’s guests and not Mr. Dameron himself. A shiver chased up her spine, and she went back to her gardening.


	2. Starlight and Butterflies

The night of the housewarming arrived, and Rey found herself feeling quite giddy. Sitting at her vanity in front of an antique mirror, she swirled a large fluffy fan brush into a bit of Becca Moonstone highlighter, sweeping the shimmering powder over the crests of her cheeks. She finished with a bit of mascara and a swipe of Lipstick Queen’s Medieval lipstick. She heard Finn let himself in downstairs as she went into her closet and plucked a pale dusty blue dress off a hanger. The soft cotton fabric felt cool on her skin as she slipped the dress over her head, mindful of her freshly made face. She smoothed out the wrinkles as Finn knocked on her bedroom door. It was a simple cut, A-line and knee-length, with a sharp boatneck that highlighted her delicate collarbones.

“Come in!” she called out.

Finn opened the door cautiously, then pushed it fully open seeing she was decent. Rey had sat back down and was using a large barreled curling iron to add soft waves to her chestnut hair. She smiled as Finn walked in. He looked quite dashing in his dark rinse jeans and grey sweater.

“God, I hope this Dameron guy is gay because there’s no way I can compete with you,” Finn teased.

Rey laughed, “Don’t be silly, Finn. You look very nice.”

“Yeah yeah yeah,” he said waving his hands dismissively. “Gimme the iron. I wanna play with your hair,” he commanded.

Rey gladly handed over the hot iron, letting Finn take over. His nimble fingers made quick work of the rest of her hair, and as he leaned back to admire his handiwork, he cocked his head slightly to the side. He made a tut-tutting sound with his tongue and went to her dresser, rummaging around in a small wooden box she kept there. It was full of a mish mash of jewelry, hair pins, and elastics. Finn plucked something from the hodge podge triumphantly and returned to Rey’s side. Sweeping some hair back from one side of her face, he secured the soft locks with a delicate sterling silver butterfly comb. He gave a satisfied nod and stepped back.

Rey turned and looked up at him, smiling brightly. “Thanks, Finn.”

Smiling back, Finn replied, “No problem. Now let’s get going. Can’t be late. What shoes are you wearing?”

Since they were going to walk, Rey had opted for a pair of metallic silver ballet flats. She slipped them on as they made their way out into the summer night, the dark sky sprinkled with stars. Rey locked the door behind her, and they made their way up her front path lined with different kinds of rose bushes. Their sweet fragrance scented the soft warm air as they made their way onto the gravel road, turning and heading toward Netherfield. 

The large house loomed large and bright at the end of the road. As Finn and Rey approached, Rey felt her jaw drop open involuntarily. Having been restored to its former glory, the Craftsman mansion positively glowed. Decorative lights shone bright in and around the premises, artfully lighting up different outdoor paths and sculpted gardens. A small fleet of cars were parked in the massive circular drive, all different makes and models. A large carriage house turned garage stood off to the side, and Rey saw a familiar black Corvette parked nearby. Jerking her thumb over her shoulder, she motioned to Finn to go on ahead. 

“I want to check that car out,” Rey said when Finn looked at her confused.

“Ohhhh. Gotcha,” Finn replied. Finn knew how much Rey liked cars. They had met forever ago before Rey’s first book had gotten published when she worked as a mechanic, and he’d come into the shop with “car trouble.” He’d really been in a relationship with one of her coworkers, who hadn’t exactly been “out” at the time, and they’d bonded, remaining friends after the breakup. Finn had encouraged Rey to send her manuscript for a new young adult novel series to a publisher, and before she knew it, she had a best seller on her hands.

As Finn followed the lights and sounds around to the back, Rey made her way excitedly towards the carriage house. There wasn’t as much light this way, and Rey was hyper aware of the gravel crunching under her feet as she stepped into the dim light. Stepping up to the sleek black machine, Rey resisted the urge to reach out and touch its pristine surface. The interior was a mix of red and black leather, the electronic dash incredibly modern looking. Rey felt her fingers twitch when she saw the manual control, and she clenched her fist. Biting her lower lip and looking around nervously, unable to resist any longer, Rey reached out and touched the smooth metal with her fingertips. She retracted her touch almost immediately, and rubbed the back of her neck where she felt a prickling sensation. Looking around guiltily, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw nothing in the dark. Not wanting to tarry longer, she turned and dashed toward the path Finn had gone down a few minutes earlier. The loud crunching of the gravel beneath her rushing feet made her oblivious as a tall man stepped out from the shadow of the garage and approached the car, resting his fingers where hers had been.

“Interesting,” he murmured, his voice velvet and deep, to the dark.

***

The sounds of music and revelry grew louder as Rey made her way down the path around to the flagstone patio. Rey had to stagger back a bit as she rounded the corner. A large group of people were milling about, some clustered together in smaller groups, and others flitting about. This was a space clearly designed with entertaining in mind. A covered bar stood between two large shrubs where two bartenders were pouring and mixing different drinks. Clearly professionals, they smiled and conversed easily while their hands remained moving in a blur of motion. A few waiters were winding their way through the crowd, carefully balancing trays layden with delicious looking hors d’oeuvres on one hand. A massive pair of French doors were thrown open at the top of a small flight of broad flagstone steps, revealing a bit of the large house’s warm wood interior. Light poured out, casting the revelers in a warm glow. Rey looked around for Finn and saw him conversing with a small group of people. She recognized a few of them as Finn’s coworkers, and she headed that way. As best she could tell, their host was nowhere to be seen.

They were all laughing at something as she approached. 

“Hey!” Finn cried when he saw her.

Finn’s friends all turned and gave Rey quick hugs, moving slightly to make room in their little cluster. Rey found herself standing between Finn and his coworker Rose, and Rose gave her a warm smile. A waiter appeared suddenly bearing a tray with a variety of wines on it, and Rey deftly snatched up a flute of champagne. 

“How goes the _War_?” Rose asked amiably. She was a big fan of Rey’s novel series, _Wars in Starlight_ , and often tried to wheedle spoilers out of Rey.

Rey chuckled, “It’s going. How’d you all end up here?” Rey asked, gesturing to the group.

“We all got invites at work the other day. Turns out this guy is one of our new supervisors.”

“Really?! Finn! Why didn’t you mention it?”

Finn shrugged apologetically. “I haven’t actually met the guy yet since he doesn’t officially start until Monday. Chill out,” Finn teased.

“He doesn’t drive a black Corvette, does he?” Rey asked casually.

Rose shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. At least, I haven’t seen one around the office. I think he drives a restored Mustang.”

Rey hummed thoughtfully.

“He’s got a friend that drives a black convertible. I think it’s a Corvette,” Rose’s sister Paige added helpfully.

“How do you know that?” Rose asked her sister. 

“The guy picked Poe up from a meeting with the bosses one time, and I saw,” Paige replied in that defensive way sisters sometimes talk to each other.

“Know-it-all,” Rose muttered under her breath.

Paige stuck her tongue out.

The music dropped substantially in volume after that, causing everyone to raise their heads. Turning towards the French doors, Rey saw a jovial looking man holding his arms out in a welcoming gesture. He was swarthy, his dark hair neatly mussed, and dressed handsomely in tailored jeans, white shirt, and a tan leather jacket. A white and orange Shiba Inu sat beside him, surveying the crowd. Slipping out and off to the side as unobtrusively as possible was a striking pair, a pale red headed man and a fabulously tall platinum blonde. And just behind the man who could only be their host Poe Dameron was a tall and rather grim looking man. Rey unconsciously licked her lower lip, taking in his tall form, dark mess of hair, and pale skin. He held his hands behind him as he followed Poe down the steps. Poe was saying something, but Rey didn’t hear.

She turned to Paige and asked surreptitiously, “Is that Mr. Dameron?”

Paige nodded. “Handsome, isn’t he? Too bad he’s gay.”

Rey nodded noncommittally. That was good news for Finn, whose face was lit up like a Christmas tree. “And the one behind him? With the dour expression?” 

“That’s the friend I was telling you about. I heard Poe call him Solo,” Paige whispered excitedly.

“Solo?! You don’t mean _that_ Solo do you?!” Rey knew of only one family with the last name Solo, a well-respected and famously wealthy one.

Paige nodded enthusiastically. “I think he’s their son. You’d think he’d be more pleasant given his circumstance.”

Rey nodded, but said nothing.

“So!” Poe exclaimed as Rey finally realized he’d been talking, “Eat, drink, and be merry!”

The crowd let out a cheer, and the music resumed. Rey blushed when the object of her scrutiny met her gaze, arching a dark brow haughtily. Rey looked away, probably too quickly to pass off as casual, and pretended to be absorbed in the group’s conversation. When Rey looked up out of the corner of her eye, he was talking with the red head and the blonde. They all seemed bored. Rey snickered when Poe came up beside him and smacked him on the shoulder, making him wince, not in pain but in annoyance. He was a man that probably got annoyed by everything, and Rey really wanted to find out if she was right.

Just then, Rey felt a snuffling at her feet. She looked down and saw the Shiba Inu sniffing her heels.

“Hi there,” she said amiably, crouching down to let the dog sniff her fingers. 

The dog gave her a cautious sniff. Deciding she was Good, he pressed his head against her hand and looked up at her with warm brown eyes. Rey scratched behind his ears as she gave his ruff a good pet. The dog’s long pink tongue lolled out in happiness, making Rey laugh.

“You goober! Are you hitting on my guests?” a pleasant voice exclaimed. Rey looked up and saw Poe Dameron looking down at his dog, pure love in his eyes. 

Rey got up and held her hand out. “Rey Johnson,” she said pleasantly.

Poe gave her hand a firm shake. “Poe Dameron. Sorry about him. He’s a shameless flirt. His name is BB.”

Rey laughed, “That’s quite alright.” Glancing around, she saw Finn trying to avoid staring, and she saw her opportunity. She grabbed Finn’s wrist and pulled him over. “This is my best friend Finn. I think you guys work together or something?”

Finn shook Poe’s hand, and Rey pretended to cough into her shoulder so she could hide her grin. She knew sparks when she saw them.

“Rey’s a writer!” Rose interrupted, oblivious to the sparks.

“Really?” Poe asked, tearing his gaze away from Finn. “Anything I might have read?”

“Do you read young adult fiction?” Rey asked jokingly, assuming the answer was no. 

“Are you kidding? I love that stuff. It’s like eating a box of chocolate. Right, Solo?” Poe laughed.

“What?” a deep velvety voice asked. Rey rested her fingers low over her stomach as the tall man approached, having been pulled over by Poe.

“Young adult fiction. It’s like chocolate,” Poe said.

“Yeah, it’ll make you sick,” Solo snarked. Rey’s smile quickly faded, her fist clenching. 

“Come on, Ben. Why so serious?” Poe asked teasingly.

Ben rolled his eyes. “You know why. I hate that stuff. It offers nothing of value to the field and drags the whole state of literature down.”

Rey immediately went on the defensive. “And what gives you the authority to make such a claim,” she snapped.

Ben turned and arched his brow at her again. “I have a doctorate in literature. And I teach it at Wildemount University. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. I don’t have a CV at hand, but I’d be happy to send it to you,” he replied, his voice dripping with disdain.

Rey wanted so badly to smack the pretentious look off his face, even if she was momentarily impressed that he taught at Wildemount. “Did it occur to you that you can ignore something if you don’t like it? Young adult fiction isn’t written for people like you anyway.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Ben practically hissed. 

Rey was vaguely aware that the others were watching their exchange with some amusement. Finn whispered something to Poe that made his press his lips together and his eyes bug out trying to stifle a guffaw.

“Rich ivory tower academic types who can’t see past their own stuck up noses, and consider themselves above such plebeian entertainments,” Rey snarled.

Ben glared down at her, and Rey almost backed down, realizing she’d gotten right up in his face. Sort of. He was much taller than her. Instead, she just fixed him with a glare of her own. The air between them felt charged with a frantic energy of push and pull.

Ben leaned back and looked down at her, and Rey almost lost it. “You remind me of a lonely teenage girl who just read Austen and thinks she’s Elizabeth Bennett,” Ben sneered.

Rey knew he meant it as an insult, and the lonely part did sting, but she felt complimented anyway. She smirked and threw back, “Yeah, and you’re an angry teenage boy who just read _Catcher in the Rye_ and thinks he’s Holden Caulfield. What’s your point?”

Rey gave a satisfied smile as she watched Ben sputter angrily. Poe came up and clapped him on the shoulder again, laughing uproariously. “Go get some water, you beautiful idiot. She won.”


	3. Still Moonlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's feeling better!
> 
> I just...you guys. I just love you guys so so much. I am giving you all hugs through my computer

The party went long into the night, the catering staff leaving a couple of hours in, and the bar staff leaving not too long after. A few guests took it upon themselves to manage the bar, the noise and activity becoming boisterous. Rey was thankful she was Poe’s closest neighbor, and she lived far enough that she wouldn’t hear anything. Her home had probably been a caretakers cottage for the mansion at some point in the past, but the land had long since been parcelled. She’d catch Ben glowering at her every once and awhile, and she’d try her best to ignore him but would often end up trying to watch him out of the corner of her eye. Even though his words had been hurtful, she couldn’t find it in herself to be that angry at him. It took too much out of her to remain angry, so Rey tried her best not to let those emotions linger. The lonely comment still hurt though. She wanted to say that he was wrong but that would be a lie, and she wasn’t a liar.

At some point in the evening, Rey noticed that Ben had disappeared. Deciding that now was as good a time as any to head home, she went to look for Finn to tell him. She found him dancing animatedly with Poe, Rose, and Paige, looking well into his cups. Thinking it best to let sleeping dogs lie, or dancing dogs dance, as it were, Rey slipped away from the brightly lit patio to a more dimly lit side path. The air grew noticeably cooler away from the lights and the warm bodies, and she shivered. She carefully made her way down a set of broad, well manicured garden steps that ran along the side of the house until she found herself back at the front of the house. Stepping out into the massive circular driveway, she stopped short when she saw Ben pacing furiously, his hands tugging at his dark hair. Unsure of what to do or say, Rey held still for a moment, watching him. He cut a striking figure, Rey mused, with his dark clothes and pale skin. He was muttering something, but she was too far away to hear so she just watched him pace, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. Rey jumped when he stopped and whirled around to face her. Perhaps she hadn’t been as unobtrusive as she’d thought.

“What?” Ben snapped.

“Oh nothing. I was just waiting to see if you were going to wear a hole all the way to Chandrilla in Poe’s driveway,” Rey replied breezily, walking closer. 

Ben scowled and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans, slowing his frantic pacing. “I’m...I’m sorry. For what I said earlier,” he muttered through gritted teeth.

Rey smiled a soft smile. “Now can you apologize without sounding like you’re chewing glass?”

The corner of Ben’s mouth twitched as he replied, “No.”

Rey huffed a breathy laugh. “Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, I suppose. You could express yours a bit more...delicately though.”

Ben harrumphed and closed more of the distance between them. “So, what are you doing out here? Party’s that way,” he said, pointing back over her shoulder.

“I’m walking home. I live a mile or so down the road,” Rey replied, stepping past him to make her way down the driveway.

“May I walk with you? Poe gets more insufferable the more he drinks, and I can hardly stand him to begin with.”

Rey laughed again and gestured beside her, motioning him to join her, her heart fluttering oddly behind her ribs. “Then why did you come?”

Ben shrugged his broad shoulders. “Poe’s my oldest friend. I promised I’d be here if he ever got this place livable.”

Rey hummed thoughtfully in response. She wondered how someone like Poe became friends with someone like Ben, but didn’t want to pry, so she kept quiet.

They walked silently side by side for some time, the air warm and gentle around them. The sky had grown even darker, the speckles of stars even sharper, the glow of the moon even stronger. A slight breeze played with the curls in Rey’s hair, softly lifting them this way and that. Rey shivered involuntarily and rubbed her arms, momentarily transported back to her lonely nights in Niima growing up. Despite the desert environment, the nights had been cold.

Momentarily lost in her memory, Rey didn’t notice Ben had stopped walking until she was a few feet in front of him. She felt her face flush when she looked back and saw him pulling his sweater over his head, giving her a brief glimpse of his midsection. He might be a literature professor, but he certainly didn’t look like one, Rey mused. 

Tugging his undershirt back into place, he held the garment out to her. “You were shivering,” he murmured.

Rey reached out with tentative fingers and took the sweater, the black cashmere the softest thing she’d ever felt. Mindful of her butterfly comb, she slipped the sweater over her head, tugging it gently over her hips. It was massive on her, the hem reaching past mid-thigh and the sleeves reaching well past her fingers. His skin had imparted a gentle warmth into the fabric, and Rey found herself surrounded by his scent, leather and sandalwood and something else. Something faint and almost secret.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully.

The corner of Ben’s mouth twitched again, his shoulders giving another shrug. Rey swore she could see the hint of a blush, but his pale skin made it hard to tell in the moonlight. “No problem.”

They strolled on, the fields of wheat and tall grass whispering around them in the dark, the gravel crunching beneath their feet. After another few silent minutes, Ben shoved his hands into his pockets and cleared his throat. “So, why were you looking at my car earlier?”

Rey started, surprised. “I...I’m sorry. I...umm...like cars,” she said lamely. It was the easiest and quickest answer she could think of. 

“Okay…” Ben said skeptically. 

Rey sighed heavily. “I was a mechanic for awhile. I developed an appreciation. End of story,” she muttered, hoping her tone put an end to the topic.

“Sorry to bring it up, but that was _my_ car you were touching,” Ben snarked.

“It’s beautiful. I couldn’t help it,” Rey replied defensively.

Ben opened his mouth like he was about to say something, thought better of it, and closed it again.

They reached Rey’s walk after several more silent minutes. The scent of roses and herbs floated over to Rey on the soft breeze as she turned to head up to her heavy wood front door. She’d left a lamp on in her living room, it’s gentle light spilling out onto the shrubbery beneath the large bay window. Moths and other night bugs flitted in and out of the warm glow.

“This is me,” she said softly.

Ben whistled lowly. “It’s like something out of a story book,” he said in a voice Rey couldn’t interpret. It was simultaneously disbelief and derision, awe and disregard. Like what he expected and not what he expected at all.

“Yeah?” Rey said, a questioning lilt to her voice. 

“This whole place. It’s an hour outside the city, but it’s like a different world. A place of softness and some kind of ancient magic. Where will o’ the wisps wait to lure you away to where nature spirits and ancient guardians dwell, keeping secrets long lost to time.”

Rey cocked her head to the side. “People don’t really talk that way, you know.”

Ben looked down into Rey’s upturned face. “No, but they think that way.”

Rey looked away and started pulling at one of the sleeves of Ben’s sweater, wanting to give it back to him. She inhaled sharply when Ben reached out and stopped her, wrapping his fingers loosely around her wrist.

“Don’t. Keep it,” he murmured, his voice low and soft.

Rey eyes widened. “I can’t do that. This is _cashmere_.”

Ben laughed softly, his breath ghosting over her temple. Rey jumped, not having realized how close they were standing. Leaves and petals rustled around her, his scent and the smell of flowers filled her nose, almost making her dizzy. She swallowed thickly when Ben’s long fingers reached out and carefully tucked a loose curl behind her ear, his fingers lingering a moment longer in her hair. A tingling sensation chased across her scalp and down her neck, and she felt her lips part. The sharp cry of a night bird cut through the quiet.

Rey blinked in surprise when Ben stepped back suddenly, the spell they’d found themselves under broken by the bird’s shriek.

“Bring it by the house tomorrow then,” Ben said, somewhat sharply. He turned abruptly on his heel and started making his way back down the road.

Rey shook her head to clear the fog that had settled there and made her way up her walk. Locking her door behind her, she turned off the living room lamp and made her way upstairs in a daze. Flicking on her bathroom light, she blinked at her reflection in the mirror. Something was different. Off. She couldn’t place it until she started running a brush through her hair and remembered. Her butterfly comb was gone. He’d taken it.


	4. Pull

Rey tossed and turned all night, unable to find any respite. She even added more pillows, but their downy softness did nothing to soothe her frazzled mind. So, she did what she always did on nights she couldn’t sleep; she wrote. Well, not write precisely, brainstormed might be more accurate. She stomped downstairs and made a cup of Sleepytime tea, settling herself with her cup on her couch under a handknit blanket. She pulled her laptop into her lap and lifted the screen, the bright light momentarily blinding. Opening the “Notes’ document in her Drive folder, she began to type furiously. Her editor and publisher had been pressuring her to add a love interest for the main character of her series, and an idea had finally come to her. Rey told herself that her sudden inspiration had nothing to do with the impossibly arrogant yet very attractive man she had just met. _Nope, none at all_ , she thought as she typed a brief description into her notes that for all the world sounded like the Ben she had just met, except she added a vicious scar across one side of his face. Maybe her heroine, Kira, would be the one that bestowed it upon him. That could work, she mused. Rey chewed on her nail as she tried to think of a name.

‘K-Y-L-O R-E-N. V-I-L-L-A-I-N,’ she typed slowly, deliberately. She paused again, squinting in concentration as more ideas flooded her. The adversarial relationship Kira and Kylo would have early on. The differences in their ideals and methods. The realization that they were stronger together than they could ever be apart. Rey shivered as the chill of the summer evening began to finally envelope her exposed skin. She reached for the black cashmere sweater she’d thrown over the arm of the couch, tugging it over her head. She pushed the sleeves up just past her fingertips, giving a content sigh as the smell, Ben’s smell, fainter now, teased her nose. She began typing again.

‘V-I-L-L-A-I-N-?’

***

Rey awoke with her computer still in her lap, the screen black. She rolled her neck this way and that, trying to dispel the cramp that had taken root there. Sunlight was pouring into the room, illuminating dancing dust motes. Rey set her laptop aside and stretched long and painfully, her joints cracking after having been in a cramped position all night. She staggered to her kitchen and made herself a quick breakfast of toast and tea, munching and sipping while she watered the various small pots and planters scattered on the window sill and about the room. Looking through the window in the kitchen door, she saw Finn’s Mini Cooper still parked in her small back drive by her tiny garage. She sighed. Finn hadn’t come back last night. Her stomach gave a strange lurch when she realized she’d absolutely have to go back to Poe’s today to check on Finn. Where Ben was staying also. She pushed the feeling aside to examine later. Right now she needed to get ready.

When she rang the bell at Poe’s front door about an hour later, Rey was dressed in well fitted khaki capris, a pale blue three quarter sleeve top, and her favorite pair of black Converse, well worn and loved. She’d washed and dried her hair, wearing it in a low ponytail. She’d forgone makeup intentionally. She was not dressing up or wearing makeup to check on her friend. She hoped the sun hadn’t brought out her freckles too much. Finn always tried to reassure her that her freckles were adorable, but Rey was still insecure. Too many kids had teased her in the past about her freckles for her to feel confident about them now. She held Ben’s sweater tight to her chest. She absentmindedly wondered if he minded freckles.

As she reached toward the button to ring the bell again, the large front door opened abruptly. Rey had to practically crane her neck to look up at the platinum blonde who opened it. Dressed in dark skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket, they cut quite an imposing figure. They arched one pale brow, their pale blue eyes firm but not unkind. Rey vaguely recognized them as one of the people Ben had hung around with most of the night. 

Rey cleared her throat, “Hi, I’m Rey! Umm, I’m here to check on my friend Finn? His car is still in my driveway, so I think he’s still here.”

“I’m Gwyn Phasma. Everyone calls me Phas. You were the one who Ben wouldn’t shut up about last night,” Phas said, the timbre of their voice quite pleasing to the ear. Amusement danced in their icy eyes. “Bravo on the excellent mic drop.”

Rey smirked. “That’s me, and thanks.”

Phas stepped back, admitting Rey into the impressive foyer. Rey’s mouth fell open as she took it all in - the gleaming golden wood, the curve of the large staircase, the beautifully inlaid floor. Large contemporary paintings and tapestries in bright colors were hung from high walls and beams. The odd shaped skylights in the ceiling let in an abundance of natural light, making everything glow.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Phas commented.

Rey could only nod.

“Your friend might be out on the patio. A few people had to crash after the party last night, but most of them have gone by now. Just head that way,” Phas instructed, pointing Rey toward the back and to the left.

“Thanks,” Rey murmured. “Oh!” she called as Phas turned to walk away, “Could you give this to Ben? He let me borrow it.”

“I’m about to head upstairs to pack. He’s around here somewhere,” Phas replied with a smirk, heading up the stairs.

Rey sighed and wandered slowly in the direction Phas had pointed. It was easy to find the patio, since Rey could hear Poe’s voice echoing down the hall. She approached the large glass doors cautiously, hesitant to interrupt. She saw Poe and the red headed man seated in some comfy and expensive looking patio chairs, casually sipping mugs of what looked like coffee. Empty plates were on the low table in front of them. BB was sprawled in a bright patch of sunlight, napping. They’d clearly just had breakfast. Sticking her head further out, Rey saw Ben sitting alone, typing away on a laptop. She saw no sign of Finn. She jumped as Phas came up quietly behind her and breezed past, heading toward the red head and leaning on his chair. All three heads, save Phas, turned towards her. Ben stood abruptly, his large frame bent awkwardly as he tried to keep his fingers on his table. Rey stepped timidly out onto the patio, still clutching Ben’s sweater, looking apologetic. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m looking for Finn?”

Poe held his arms open in a welcoming gesture. “No worries! He crashed upstairs. Second room on the right.”

“Thank you,” Rey murmured. Turning to Ben, she approached him slowly, nervous as a rabbit. He was staring at her strangely. She held his sweater out to him, folded neatly. “And thank you for letting me borrow this,” she whispered so only he could hear. “Do you have my comb?”

Ben blinked at her and made no move to take his sweater from her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he whispered back, his deep rumbly voice causing a shiver to chase down Rey’s spine. 

In spite of the pleasant shivers, she frowned up at him, pulling the soft garment back to her chest. “Don’t lie, I know you took it,” she replied petulantly. 

The corner of Ben’s mouth quirked upwards. Rey would have missed it if she had blinked, and she knew he was definitely lying. “Fine,” he said, straightening to his full height to look down at her. “Weren’t you going to check on your friend?”

“I’m keeping this until you give it back,” Rey scowled at him, turned on her heel, and walked back through the glass doors. She missed the quirk of the red head’s eyebrow and the wide grin on Poe’s face. Phas coughed into their hand, hiding an amused smile.

“Wipe that shit eating grin off your face before I do, Dameron,” she heard Ben mutter as she walked inside.

***

“He didn’t make a move!” Finn wailed, flopping dramatically onto the bed.

Rey laughed. “Maybe he missed your signals,” she replied in a reassuring voice as she patted Finn’s leg. 

“I got completely shit faced. A deaf and blind dog couldn’t have missed my signals, Rey.”

Rey sighed and, unsure of what to say that would be helpful, said nothing. She simply reached for Finn’s hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. Maybe she had misinterpreted Poe’s interactions with Finn last night. She was so sure there had been sparks. 

“Might as well show my face I guess,” Finn groaned, rolling off the bed. Rey looked around the room as Finn gathered up his things, which mainly meant finding his sweater under the bed. For a guest room, it was well appointed, with a monstrously heavy looking dark wood bed frame and large deep leather chairs. A door led to an attached bath, and there was even a small fireplace.

Rey stood as Finn got back on his feet, looking sheepish. Rey gave him a reassuring smile as they headed downstairs and back towards the patio. Everyone was still where Rey had left them, except for Phas who had taken a seat beside the red headed man and was gracefully spreading butter on a breakfast roll. 

“Phas. Hux,” Finn muttered as he nodded to the couple. They nodded in return.

“I’m quite surprised to find you mobile this morning, Finn,” Hux said. In his posh voice, his words couldn’t help but come out in a snooty tone.

“Come on, Hux. We’ve all had nights like that,” Poe replied, jumping to Finn’s defense, and quite literally jumping to his feet to put a reassuring arm around Finn’s shoulders. Finn caught Rey’s eye, looking startled but pleased, and Rey winked. She hadn’t been wrong then.

Rey took a seat next to Finn, which was also conveniently at an angle that she could watch Ben type on his laptop surreptitiously. Finn helped himself to some of the coffee that was sitting on the table in a carafe, drinking the strong smelling brew down in greedy gulps. Rey made a face; she hated coffee.

“I’m sorry if I made an ass of myself last night,” Finn muttered to Poe.

Poe patted finn on the shoulder, his hand lingering maybe a moment longer than was necessary. “No worries. You didn’t,” he replied in a kind voice.

Finn looked at Poe and smiled. Rey suddenly felt like an intruder, and she pushed herself off the chair ad set the sweater down beside Finn, intending to walk around the patio, hoping she appeared casual. She was surprised when Hux joined her, linking his arm with hers. Rey saw Ben out of the corner of her eye raise one of his dark brows, but he quickly returned his focus to his laptop.

“Quite a striking pair they make, don’t they,” Hux murmured.

“Indeed,” Rey replied, nodding. She was still a bit off kilter from the surprise of Hux joining her nervous pacing.

“Poe has this easy going way about him, and Finn seems to compliment that beautifully. Poe’s always had a bit of a wild streak, but I think he may have found someone special, if the fact that he didn’t try to jump his bones last night is any indication.”

Rey looked at Hux confused. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Oh I’m a horrid gossip and I don’t know you,” he replied, flipping his hand casually. “Phas knows all about that, don’t you, Phas?” he called over his shoulder.

“About how you’re like a bored old biddy with your blathering and making people you just met uncomfortable? Yeah,” Phas snarked.

Hux looked mildly offended. “I am NOT an old biddy. I’m a young biddy.”

Phas rolled their eyes, but gave Hux a loving look. Rey smiled, reassured.

“Now our Benny Boy over there just got out of quite the exciting relationship,” Hux said in a stage whisper.

“Shut up, Hux,” Ben practically snarled.

“With one of the Netal sisters. You know, the models? How tall was she Ben? Five eleven?”

Ben said nothing, but stared daggers at Hux. Rey felt her stomach flip unpleasantly, but she carefully kept her face neutral. She noted glumly that last she checked, she was five three, if she was being generous. 

Hux made a sad tutting noise. “But alas, the woman had a wandering eye and roaming hands. She begged Ben to take her back of course, but our boy would not hear of it, no matter the scene she made on the prestigious Wildemount campus. Our Ben can certainly hold a grudge, even against a gorgeous model.”

Ben had turned back to his laptop, but his hands were tense and still. “I find it hard to forgive others’ offenses against me. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever,” he muttered, somewhat sadly. 

Rey looked at Finn, her eyes wide. Finn’s eyes were wide as saucers and he mouthed “Oh my God!” at Rey.

“‘You have chosen your fault well. I really cannot laugh at it,’” Rey replied softly.


	5. Wars in Starlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What?! Two updates?!

_“You know I can take whatever I want?” the monster in front of her said darkly, seductively. He had removed his mask, and he wasn’t what Kira expected at all. He may have been handsome if not for his cruelty. Kira winced and struggled against her restraints as he approached her side._

_Kira turned her face away, her lower lip trembling. He reached out a hand, his gloved fingers almost touching her forehead, but she felt them in her mind. “You’re so lonely...so afraid to leave...At night, desperate to sleep...You imagine an ocean...I see it...I see the island…” Kylo murmured gently._

Rey stopped typing and cracked her fingers, stretching her arms out over her head. It had been a productive morning, and she was pleased with her progress. She blinked several times to clear the fog in her eyes that had settled, looking around her living room in a daze. Summer’s glow had given way to fall’s haze, and Rey shivered as she heard the wind whip down the chimney, rattling the cottage’s old bones. Powering down her laptop, she unplugged the machine and slipped it into the neoprene sleeve she kept under the couch. She set the cord on top when she got up and went upstairs to her room to finish packing. The Women’s Studies chair Amilyn Holdo had invited her, well her alter ego Summer Niima, to give a talk at Wildemount University in Coruscant in a few days, and Rey was going to spend that time visiting with Finn and his friends. And not thinking about Ben. She hadn’t seen him for several weeks, not that she’d been keeping count or anything.

Finn owed her one, since he spent the week after the housewarming at Netherfield crashing at Rey’s, walking down the road to Poe’s everyday and dragging her along. Poe and Finn quickly established a rapport and spent most of their time doing one thing or another together, leaving Ben and Rey alone. Rey couldn’t fathom why Ben stuck around, since all they ended up doing was trading verbal barbs with one another about what did and what did not constitute valid literary criticism. 

“Oh my God, you are the most dramatic and pretentious ass I have ever met!” Rey screamed at Ben after one particularly heated argument. “The proliferation of YA is not a sign of the downfall of humanity!”

“It is too! The fact that adults would rather fill their heads with fluff and rot than with something that actually strengthens and edifies their minds is reprehensible!” he shouted back.

Rey pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned loudly. She was starting to take this personally, even though she hadn’t mentioned once what she did for a living to him. She took a deep breath and sighed, “God you’re stubborn.”

“I have a senator for a mother. I can’t help it,” Ben replied almost apologetically. 

Rey didn’t think he could actually sound apologetic even if he tried, and she looked at him askance. She suppressed an amused smile when she saw him shrug his broad shoulders.

“Could you guys maybe keep it down?” Finn called from the sofa where he and Poe were trying to watch a funny video on Youtube that Rose had shared.

“Yeah, go flirt somewhere else,” Poe said, laughing.

Rey turned and glared at Poe and Finn and snarled, “Shut up.” 

Ben had stalked out of the room, hunching his shoulders to hide his blush.

***

Rey always found the drive to Coruscant strange. The city was only an hour from where she lived in the country, but it felt like a whole other world away. It was almost like she passed some invisible barrier everytime she drove into the city. The bucolic feeling of her home was quickly replaced by one of cold and anxiety every time she passed a certain point on the drive. Tall shafts of wheat and grass were replaced by tall buildings of glass and metal. Forests of trees were replaced by forests of designer shops and storefronts. Dirt was replaced by asphalt and cement. Rey could never get over just how many people milled about in the city, rushing this way and that. And in the middle of it all stood the venerable Wildemount University, it’s spires of stone and iron striking out into the twilight sky. Finn lived in one of the city’s middle rings, as it were. Rey carefully navigated her Jetta to Finn’s building, pulling into one of the spots on the street opposite. Luckily she knew how to navigate Coruscant’s public transit, so she wouldn’t have to move her car at all while she was here.

Grabbing her suitcase and worn leather messenger bag that served as her laptop carrier, she jogged up to the building’s intercom, pushing the buzzer for Finn’s apartment. The front door gave a click and Rey walked in, trudging up the three flights of stairs to the apartment at the end of the hall. She gave a friendly knock, and Finn threw the door open, wrapping Rey in a firm bear hug.

“Hey Little Lady!” he said cheerfully, taking Rey’s suitcase from her hand and setting it inside the door. 

“Hey,” Rey replied in a tired voice, following Finn into the neatly appointed living room. Finn had a much more modern taste in decor than Rey did. She flopped onto the couch, setting her bag on the floor beside her and closing her eyes gratefully.

“Chinese food for dinner okay?” Finn asked as he pulled out his phone, tapping and typing rapidly. 

“Sounds great,” Rey mumbled as she rolled over and promptly fell asleep to the sound of rushing traffic outside the window.

***

“It promises to be quite the turn out! So, you just need to be at Cody Hall in the auditorium at 12:15, and I’ll take care of the rest,” Amilyn reassured Rey.

Rey nodded at the lavender haired woman across from her. Amilyn had asked Rey to meet at her office at 11 so she could give Rey a run down of the set up for her talk at 12:30. Rey had more or less kept herself out of the public eye, much to the frustration of her publisher. She’d refused to do public book signings, tours, and television appearances. This would be her first public appearance as Summer Niima, and she was suddenly very nervous. However, Amilyn had been persuasive in her impassioned speech to Rey about how she wanted to bring successful women in different fields to Wildemount’s campus in order to “expand the minds of the student body.” Rey had figured it was as good a time as any to finally show Summer Niima’s real face to appease her publisher, and if she inspired a few minds with her story along the way, that would be a bonus.

“So, you have about an hour to drink in the campus. I recommend heading to Ashley Street and checking out Comet Coffee. They do the best pour over there, and it’s close to Cody Hall,” Amilyn said amiably. “They have tea too,” she added with a laugh when she saw Rey grimace.

Rey smiled politely and thanked Amilyn, shaking her hand as she turned to head out of the office. Before heading out of the warm building, Rey tightened the belt of her soft blue coat. She’d worn a simple dark grey suit - a two button jacket and an a-line skirt made of superfine wool with a white blouse underneath. She wore a matching pair of almond toe heels, adding three inches to her height. She liked how they clicked when she walked. Rey stopped a small group of students heading out to the Quad for directions to Cody Hall. Bright smiles on their faces, they pointed towards the west end of campus before hurrying off to their next class. Rey wandered in that direction, “drinking in the campus,” as Amilyn put it. The buildings were tall and Gothic looking, all intricately carved stone and sharp high reaching towers. Rey could easily imagine Ben at a place like this. She wondered absentmindedly if Ben was on campus today.

Coming upon a building that looked like a miniature Notre Dame, Rey wandered inside, delighted to find it was one of the campus’ libraries. She raced her fingers lightly along the stacks, savoring the smell of old paper. Meandering to the top floor, she saw a row of tiny offices along the north wall and peeked her head inside a few. Each one had a scarred wooden table and chair as well as a window that looked out over the campus. Rey wondered how anyone got any work done up here, the view was so spectacular. She had her hands and nose pressed to the cool glass, trying to look down when a deep rumbly voice behind her made her jump.

“Rey?” Ben asked softly, almost in disbelief.

She whirled around, eyes wide. “Ben?!” she exclaimed in a hushed voice. His broad frame almost took up the width of the door frame. He was looking at her strangely, and she saw a swallow chase down his throat. Rey shivered and looked away. She thought about his sweater at Finn’s apartment. It was her favorite thing to wear when she was cold.

Ben arched a brow. “Why are you surprised? I’m the one that teaches here.” He paused. “Wait, don’t tell me, you’re here to see that author, that one who writes the YA nonsense you’re so fond of. Summer Niima?”

Rey scowled at him, wincing internally at his derisive tone, but still overjoyed to see him again. His hair looked tousled, as if he’d been tugging at it. Her fingers twitched at the thought of touching it, smoothing it. “And what if I am?”

Ben rolled his deep amber eyes. “A bunch of my students are going too. The department is forcing us all to offer extra credit to the students that go, which means I have to go too. I guess I’ll see you there,” he said casually as he walked away.

“I guess you will,” Rey murmured, getting out the notes for her talk along with a pen and making a few quick changes. 

***

“It is my great pleasure to introduce to you, Ms. Summer Niima!” Amilyn called out excitedly, holding out her arm. 

Whoops and cheers and applause greeted Rey as she walked out onto the brightly lit stage. She had plastered on a bright smile as she headed toward Amilyn, grasping her hands warmly as she took her place at the podium. She took a sip of the water provided, grasping the old wooden podium for support. She took a deep breath and began, making sure to speak slowly.

After giving the audience a very abridged version of her story, Rey began to wrap up her talk. “I was working as a mechanic in a shop outside Yavin, scribbling in a tattered notebook on my breaks when a friend encouraged me that my rambling nonsense, my fantasy world, could be something more. Had the potential to mean something to others besides myself. So, after some polishing and typing it up on an ancient Dell laptop that crashed ¾ of the time, I sent in that manuscript. That rambling fantasy nonsense became _Hope Anew_ , the first book in the _Wars in Starlight_ series. I didn’t get where I am today on my own. I didn’t have family, but I had friends who encouraged me, believed in me. I encourage you to find your people. Find the people who make you better, who encourage you to be more, to reach higher.”

As she stepped away from the mic, applause and cheers thundered through the hall, and Rey smiled gratefully, her eyes shining. Amilyn took the mic again as the lights went up, urging everyone to file out of the auditorium in an orderly manner. Rey was still standing on the stage, sipping the rest of her water. After most everyone had filed out, security helping a few of the stragglers find the door, Amilyn clapped her on the shoulder.

“Wonderful talk, my dear. I hope we can reach out to you in the future,” she said.

Rey smiled, “I’d like that. I enjoyed that more than I thought I would,” she murmured honestly.

Amilyn smiled, handing Rey her coat, “Good.” Amilyn headed out then, leaving Rey alone on the stage.

Rey looked out at the empty auditorium and sighed deeply, the talk having totally exhausted her. She was being truthful when she told Amilyn she’d do this again, but it had taken everything she had. She slipped on her coat and was tying the belt when an angry voice came from behind her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ben practically hissed.

Rey didn’t look at him. “What difference does it make?” she asked weakly as she finished knotting her coat.

“I wouldn’t have...the things I said,” he sputtered.

It was Rey’s turn to arch her brow. “We’re hardly friends, Ben. You don’t need to hide your finely honed academic opinion from me. Doing so out of some misplaced sense of chivalry would only make you a hypocrite and a cad. As brutal as it is to hear, speaking from experience, people deserve your honest feelings.” 

Rey began to walk away, not having looked at him once. She couldn’t. So, when Ben grabbed her wrist and spun her around, she gasped, looking up at him with wide eyes. The look on his face made heat rush through her veins.

“You have no idea what what my feelings are,” Ben growled before pulling Rey to his chest and pressing his lips to hers.


	6. Toxic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My birthday was this week, so in honor of that have one more (short) chapter. I'm tapping out now, though. You'll have to wait until next week for another. I swear.
> 
> P.S. Snoke ruins everything  
> Based on actual experiences in higher academia

For all the emotion and heat in his words, Ben’s lips were soft and gentle against hers. Shocked beyond reason, Rey had no idea how to respond, and she held still. _How was this happening? He hates me,_ Rey thought. _Right?_

Pulling back slightly, Ben whispered against her now parted lips, “When I left, when you were gone, I could barely fucking breathe.” He leaned in again and pressed hot featherlight kisses along her hairline. 

Rey closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. It almost felt like her very blood and nerves were singing. It felt so much better than she ever allowed herself to imagine, to have him hold her like this. With trembling fingers, she reached up and stroked his thick dark hair, eliciting a purring sound from deep in his throat. Both of Ben’s hands were resting lightly, almost hesitantly, on the curve of her waist. The quiet rumble of rushing feet and a loud cacophony of young voices gave Rey sudden pause, jolting her out of her haze into remembering where she was. It seemed to have less of an affect on Ben, since he refused to let her go but had stopped kissing her. 

“Come with me,” he whispered, gently tilting her chin up, his voice full of weighty promise and the hint of a question.

Rey looked down, worrying her lip between her teeth. She nodded. She watched in amazement as Ben smiled what was maybe the first genuine smile she had seen. He took her hands gingerly in his, pulling her gently off the auditorium stage and out of the room as a rush of students flooded in, a few giving them curious glances.

“Isn’t that Professor Solo? Whose hand is he holding?” 

“Oh my God, I just saw her! Summer Niima?!”

“Can’t be! Professor Snoke would blow a gasket!”

Rey turned her head quickly to look over her shoulder at the last whispered comment. Who was Professor Snoke? And how did he have any say in who Ben held hands with?

One of her questions was quickly answered when a tall, skeletal looking man suddenly appeared in front of them. His skin was a faded tan and mottled, and a vicious scar ran from the top of his bald head over his right eye. He was dressed in a crisp black suit that probably cost five figures with a gold tie and a black lacquer cane. Ben halted abruptly, his grip on her hand suddenly tighter. Not one who was usually prone to fear, Rey was surprised to find she had hunched behind Ben, trying to hide. Giving herself a shake, she stepped back up to Ben’s side and straightened her back.

“Professor Solo, how unexpected to see you still here,” a cold dark voice was saying. The students had gone silent, which was maybe even more terrifying to Rey.

Ben nodded his head, “Professor Snoke.”

Rey did not miss Snoke’s glassy eyes flicking down to her and Ben’s joined hands, a wicked sneer forming on his face. Rey braced herself.

“I heard your talk, my dear. It was,” Snoke paused, as if sorting through his favorite cruel adjectives. Eventually he settled on, “Predictable. Of course, I would expect nothing more or less from the author of such...saccharine and prattling trash.”

He turned his gaze to Ben. “How kind of you to assist Miss Niima in leaving our campus, dear Benjamin. We certainly don’t need the likes of her here any longer than is necessary,” Snoke hissed derisively. He floated past them towards the head of the auditorium, a small fleet of graduate students following him, their faces haughty.

Rey opened her mouth to retort, but Ben pulled her away before she could. She was fuming, spitting mad, and when they were outside in the bright fall sunlight, Rey pulled her hand from Ben’s grasp.

“That...that...fucking JERK! You didn’t let me say anything! _You_ didn’t say anything!” she yelled. _Did Ben really think..? No, he couldn't. Could he?_

Ben looked at her, confused. “He’s my department head. He’s my boss, Rey. I can’t exactly call him an asshole to his face,” he replied, reaching for her again.

Rey pulled away and glared at him. “Is that what this environment breeds? Toxicity and superiority complexes? Do you agree with what he said, Ben?”

Ben’s mouth fell open, and he sputtered, “How could you say that? Think that? Of course not! And how dare you assume that we’re all like that after one encounter with my asshole of a boss!”

Rey narrowed her eyes, her anger totally eclipsing rational thought. “Liar,” she hissed, her whole body shaking. “I’ve heard you say those very words. What were you thinking when you kissed me? That you could fuck me over your desk, and I’d forgive you? Forget? I should never have… I’m such an idiot,” she snarled, throwing her hands up. “Don’t follow me.”

Rey turned and ran back to the auditorium, Ben calling after her. She shoved one of the doors open loudly, the heads of all the students turning towards her. She stomped up to the stage, where Snoke was watching her, his eyes narrowed with barely suppressed hatred. Rey had no idea what she’d done to him to make him hate her so, but she was not about to let him get away with what he’d said. 

Rey walked right up to him, looking up into his hateful face. “You have no idea who I am or where I come from. You have no right to pass judgement on someone or something you don’t understand, you toxic monster,” she spat.

When Snoke opened his mouth to respond, Rey didn’t let him. She reached back and swung her hand, the resulting smack resounding loudly in the silent hall. As she dashed back out of the hall, tears beginning to fall, she could hear a few quiet claps follow her out.


	7. The Secret Life of Daydreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was writing the dream sequence for this chapter and...  
> ...new fic idea?
> 
> I have a ko-fi link on my [tumblr](http://raptorginger.tumblr.com/) now, just you know, throwing it out there.  
> OH! I keep forgetting! The awesome [prinecssleia](http://prinecssleia.tumblr.com/%22) on tumblr made a fantastic moodboard for Netherfield!  
> 

The first thing Rey did when she got home a few days later was shove Ben’s sweater as deep into the corner of her closet as she could. However, with the doldrums of fall and the bone chilling cold of winter fast approaching, the damn thing kept creeping its way back out. Rey swore the thing could move on its own.

In her quiet moments, she replayed their last encounter over and over in her mind, turning over every word, every movement, around and around. There was no doubt in Rey’s mind that Ben did not agree with Snoke as to the quality of her character. Angry Rey had thought that in a moment of hazy rage. Ben was an ass but not a monster. But, he had decried and derided her chosen form of expression, more than once and quite passionately. It was hard for Rey not to take that personally. _Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course_ , Rey reasoned. _But he could have been nicer about it._ Rey didn’t think she could be in a relationship with someone who looked down on what she did so vehemently. It wasn’t such a large leap to go from not respecting what she did to not respecting her. Even if that kiss was probably the most passionate she’d ever had. _Don’t go there_ , Rey told herself.

In her waking hours, she never did. But when she slept…

_Rey is running through the woods. It’s some indefinable time in the past. Maybe a past that never was. The trees are tall and dark. Jagged looking. The air is chilled and hazy, the ground cold and damp. The skirts of her dress rustle and flow as she runs, the sharp wind blowing them hither and yon. She can hear the clank and shouts of the armored men behind her. They are some faceless mass chasing her on the orders of a fearsome man. He reminds her of Snoke. He’s more frail, but somehow yet more cruel as he commands them “Forward! Forward!”. She is the witch that lives in these woods, and they mean to kill her for what she’s done._

_A massive black furred wolf leaps out between her and the knights, snarling and frothing in rage. Rey knows it’s him - Ben. The were-touched have been hunted by these men for years, but hypocrites that they are, they kept him alive because he was strong. They are the ones that tried to make him into a monster, and he will make them pay. She knows this; he has shown her. He slays them all with tooth and claw as she keeps running. She rescued him, set him free in her woods. Loved him. For this, they would kill her. He would not allow it._

_Rey passes over a line of stone into a clearing. It’s reach is wide and protected by her warding magicks. The air is calmer, warmer here. Her woods is quiet except for a faint ‘chuff’ sound at the edge of the clearing. Rey turns, looking with wide eyes as the black wolf steps from the edge of the clearing, its gait graceful and almost timid. She looks away as the wolf shifts, unable to bear the sight of the twisting limbs and tearing flesh. When she looks up again, Ben stands before her. His human skin is pale, scattered with scars and speckles. A whole cosmos written on his skin. His hair is deepest black, like the wolf’s fur. His eyes, a warm deep amber, are always the same. He is naked before her, completely vulnerable to her. Only for her._

_He approaches the line of stone but cannot cross. Not unless she allows it. His warm eyes meet hers, asking a silent question. She nods, her fingers twisting together. He steps over the line of stone and takes her into his arms. He is warm, so warm, like the heat in her belly. He takes her face between his large hands and kisses her deeply. Rey rests her hands on his broad chest, the fingers of her left hand lightly tracing the vicious scar that runs down the right side of his body. She returns his kiss shyly at first, then boldly, almost demanding, tracing his lower lip with her tongue. He growls with pleasure, pulling her dress from her body so she’s as exposed as he is._

_As he lays her down on the soft grass and small flowers, his hands simultaneously everywhere and in the one spot Rey needs them most, he purrs lowly against the delicate skin of her temple, “Everything I am is yours.”_

_As he rakes his teeth down her neck to her shoulder, his throbbing hardness entering her slick heat in one hard thrust, “And everything you are, is mine.”_

Rey woke with a start and a gasp, having fallen asleep on her couch wrapped in Ben’s sweater. Again. She’d had the dream. Again. She felt overheated, her core throbbing with want. She was almost sick with it. She groaned and got up, staggering to her kitchen to make some tea. She sat at her small table as the kettle boiled, resting her forehead against her curled fingers, her eyes closed. She tried to force her breathing into a deep, even pattern. Opening her eyes, she saw the email from Poe she’d printed off. While she hadn’t seen or talked to Ben in weeks, she couldn’t say the same for Snoke, unfortunately. The cantankerous old codger had wanted to have her charged with assault for slapping him. 

“Probably thinks it’ll help him save face in front of 200 students,” Rey grumbled when she called Finn to ask for his help about a week after she’d gotten home.

She could almost picture Finn’s sympathetic face as he listened to her ranting. “Let me talk to Poe. I think he knows Snoke’s lawyer. Maybe he can get him to back off,” he’d offered. “And if he can’t, Poe’ll represent you, no charge.”

“Thanks, Finn,” Rey replied gratefully. She was sure her publisher would have no problem footing the bill, and they probably had their own lawyers at the ready anyway, but she appreciated Finn’s words.

As it turned out, Poe had been able to convince Snoke’s lawyer to back off. In fact, Wildemount had gotten wind of the whole situation somehow, according to Poe who heard it from Snoke’s lawyer over a Manhattan or two. The Board of Regents began to quietly investigate Snoke and his time as the head of the English Language and Literature Department. Rey was shocked to discover that contrary to the popular myth, there are certain things that can remove a tenured professor, fostering a hostile work environment along with a long list of complaints of harassment, discrimination, and full on assault being the most egregious examples. It didn’t surprise Rey that the University’s investigators were able to compile a veritable mountain of evidence against Snoke. It did surprise her, pleasantly, that they actually did something. Snoke was summarily dismissed, his classes assigned to other professors.

Poe’s email was simply an official notice that no file was opened, all charges, if they could even be called such, had been dropped. Rey sighed. She wondered how Ben was doing, in spite of her promise to herself that she would try to think about him as little as possible.

The wind howled outside the kitchen window as the kettle whistled. Dried dead leaves rustled and scratched at the glass, their skritching and hissing unnerving. Rey crossed her arms over her chest, holding Ben’s sweater closer to her body as she went to the stove and poured the steaming water into a mug, the tag of the tea bag fluttering like a butterfly’s wings in a draft. While her tea steeped, she braved the dark and dashed out to her mailbox, realizing she hadn’t checked it in a few days. She hardly received anything these days, save for a handful of junk mailers, but she always hoped to be surprised. She grabbed the small pile that had accumulated and dashed back to her warm home, the light from the living room a guiding beacon in the dark.

As she flipped through the stack, junk as usual, a confused look crossed her face when she came upon a thick envelope, letter sized. The paper was thick and creamy, the penmanship impeccable. Flipping it over, she saw a blood red wax seal first, the stylized ‘S’ unmistakeable. Just above the envelope’s point was written neatly ‘Professor Benjamin Solo’ and Ben’s address in Coruscant. Rey had to laugh, just a little, at the pretentiousness of it.

Breaking the seal and opening the envelope, a faint hint of Ben’s scent floated up to her nose, and Rey let out an involuntary humming sound. Inside was more of the luxurious paper and beautiful closely lettered but flowing handwriting, a letter addressed to her.

_Dear Rey:  
I figured if anyone would appreciate an apology in the form of a letter, it would be you. I’m better at writing than talking anyway. It’s harder for my temper and feelings to get in the way._

_There are a large number of offenses for which I need to beg your forgiveness. To list them in their entirety would, I’m afraid, result in the fracture of the unfortunate postal carrier’s arm due to the large number of pages required. So let me say in brief here, I’m truly sorry for any offense and hurt I have caused you. I hope that one day, you will allow me to apologize in person, so that I may express the deep fathoms of my regret. You said once that I could be nicer about expressing my opinion. I want you to know that I AM trying. Coming from a long line of bull-headed individuals known, perhaps infamously, for their stubbornness, it is...challenging. But I am trying. With Snoke gone, thank you for that by the way, it’s easier around the office to express dissenting or even simply different opinions. That man ran that department like his own personal...cult I guess. Now that he’s gone, it’s like some kind of fog has been lifted from all our eyes. Did you know there’s a guy here by the name of Dopheld Mitaka? He’s just about the nicest person you’ll ever meet. He loves your books and has gifted me with the first one. I’ll admit, I’m scared to read it. You’ll prove all my opinions wrong, and then what kind of stuck up academic will I be?_

_I also wanted to assure you of the sincerity of my feelings in regards to my actions on the last day I saw you, after your talk, I mean. When I kissed you. When I held you. Do you dream about me? Because I cry out for you. I wasn’t kidding when I said I could hardly breathe without you. I see your sparkling eyes and your dancing freckles every time I close my eyes to sleep, and I smile._

_I miss you._

_-Ben_

Rey wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, surprised to feel a wetness there. Carrying her tea up to bed, she read Ben’s letter over and over. When she laid her head down, for once, she allowed herself to simply feel what she felt for him, and she wasn’t surprised when she cried out for him too. His name was a sigh on her lips as she drifted off to sleep that night.


	8. Letters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Letter porn anyone?

_December 16_

_Dear Ben:  
I’m sorry this took so long. Thank you for your beautiful letter. Your words, they mean more to me than you could ever imagine. Put your mind at ease; I accept your apology. It just hurt so much, what Snoke said. I was angry. _

_Now that you mention it, I do seem to recall the stubborn streak that runs in your family. Your mother’s tenacity in particular resulted in the passage of several laws and programs that benefited me in my youth. And I’m sure you’ll still find ways to be a pretentious ass of an academic even if my book changes your mind about other things._

_As to your last point, I do. Dream of you. Constantly. If I’m unsure of everything else, of that there is no doubt._

_I miss you, too. Busy trying to get my latest manuscript ready for submission._

_-Rey_

_February 20_

_Dearest Rey:  
I’m sorry if I alarmed you with the boldness of my feeling, but it’s not in my nature to hide my emotions. In Chandrilla on a research trip this term. No, I did not use the hole I made in Poe’s driveway. _

_since feeling is first_  
_who pays any attention_  
_to the syntax of things_  
_will never wholly kiss you;_

_wholly to be a fool  
while Spring is in the world_

_my blood approves,_  
_and kisses are a better fate_  
_than wisdom_  
_lady i swear by all flowers. Don’t cry_  
_\--the best gesture of my brain is less than_  
_your eyelids’ flutter which says_

_we are for each other:then_  
_laugh,leaning back in my arms  
for life’s not a paragraph_

_And death I think is no parenthesis_

_What am I doing? In your dreams, Rey?_

_Yours,  
Ben_

_April 4_

_Dearest Ben:  
Normal people quote Shakespeare’s sonnets when they’re trying to woo another person. Of course you would quote e e cummings, who is one of my favorite poets, by the way._

_My dreams change, but one thing remains the same. You. Me. Together._

_I can’t bring myself to even write the things I dream about. The things you’re doing to me. I am flushed now even thinking about it as I write._

_Yours,  
Rey_

_May 13_

_Rey:_  
_i like my body when it is with your_  
_body. It is so quite a new thing._  
_Muscles better and nerves more._  
_i like your body, i like what it does,_  
_i like its hows. i like to feel the spine_  
_of your body and its bones, and the trembling_  
_-firm-smooth ness and which i will_  
_again and again and again_  
_kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,_  
_i like,, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz_  
_of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes_  
_over parting flesh….And eyes big Love-crumbs,_  
_and possibly i like the thrill  
of under me you quite so new_

_Something like that?  
-Ben_

Rey blushed as she read the poem in Ben’s latest letter. It was another e e cummings poem, but she could imagine Ben reading it, his voice deep and velvet. She set the page aside and opened the other envelope that was in the mailbox. It was an invitation to another party at Netherfield for the summer solstice in June. Grinning widely, Rey happily checked the ‘Yes’ box on the RSVP card and slipped on her shoes to take the card down the road.

Spring was just starting to give way to summer. The air was fresh and scented with young blooms. The sun was shining, it’s spring warmth gentle and sweet rather than the bold and brash of summer. Birds twittered and sang, the greens all around her vibrant with awakening. The gravel crunched softly under her feet, damp with spring’s rains. Droplets of water glittered like crystals on the leaves and tall grasses around her. 

Knowing Finn and Poe were in Coruscant at the firm, Rey slipped the card through the slot in the front door. For all spring’s life around her, Rey felt a stillness, almost as if the world around her was holding its breath for something. Midsummer. Ben would be home then. Rey felt her face flush at the thought as she made her way back down the road to her home.


	9. Fast Car

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Laughs teasingly

Midsummer night was hot, almost unseasonably so. The slight breezes, when they came at all, felt damp and oppressing. They barely ruffled the frothy cotton and linen skirt Rey wore. She’d paired it with a thin off white camisole and espadrille wedges. Rey politely refused a cold, sweating glass of champagne from a passing waiter, glancing at the crowd around her. Happy voices chattered and laughed all around, Poe and Finn flitting from one group to another playing the gracious hosts. Rey smiled. Finn had practically moved in to Netherfield with Poe, and he had never looked happier. She hadn’t seen Ben yet. She chewed her lip nervously. She hadn’t seen his Corvette in the drive either. _Would he be here? Was he still in Chandrilla?_ Rey looked down as BB nuzzled against her knee, his summer fur soft and his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. She laughed as he pushed against her harder, almost like he was trying to knock her down.

“It’s like he’s attention starved or something,” a deep voice behind her said sardonically.

Rey spun around rapidly, her hazel eyes widening as she looked up into Ben’s warm brown ones. His plush lips quirked in a small smile as he looked at her, a faint color rising to his cheeks. 

“Ben,” Rey whispered breathlessly. She hadn’t seen him in so long. His tall form was clad in a fitted black t-shirt and dark rinse jeans. His hair was its usual touchable looking mess.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured, his dark eyes skimming her up and down. One of his large hands reached out, his long fingers brushing her knuckles. 

Rey blushed and fiddled with her skirt. “Thank you,” she replied softly.

Stepping closer, Ben leaned down to whisper almost conspiratorially, “I read it. Them. Your books.”

Rey swallowed thickly. She was having trouble breathing. It was like he’d taken all the air from the space between them. “And?” she stammered.

“And I’m a pretentious idiot. They’re wonderful. Like, how can I phrase this? Coming home after a hard day at work and putting on something warm and comfortable. I mean, they’re not Milton but…”

Ben stopped talking to frown at her as she burst out laughing. He began to laugh in turn, a broad smile lighting up his face as he watched her. When Rey’s laughing died down, she was unsure of what to say, so she just watched Ben’s face as he looked at her, like he was drinking her in.

“I love your laugh, Rey,” he said. He shoved one of his hands in the pocket of his jeans, fishing around for something. Rey’s eyes widened when he pulled out a set of car keys. 

“Wanna take a drive?”

Rey responded by nodding vigorously and snatching the keys from him with a lightning fast move. 

“I guess you’re driving then,” Ben laughed as he followed Rey across the patio. Poe was calling for everyone’s attention, as he had an important announcement, or important question for one person in particular rather, but Rey barely heard him as she skipped eagerly down the steps.

When she reached the driveway, she looked around for Ben’s car, the roar of applause and cheers just barely reaching her ears. She still couldn’t find it. She jumped a little when she felt Ben’s arms wrap around her waist, pulling her close. She felt rather than heard Ben inhale deeply, his lips barely brushing the crook of her neck and shoulder. She sighed as warmth pooled in her belly, the feeling spreading down down down and all the way to her knees.

“Where’s it?” she mumbled as Ben’s hair tickled her jaw and shoulder.

“Hmm?” Ben asked as his hands skimmed down over her skirt to hold her hips.

“Your car,” Rey replied, nudging him gently with her elbow.

Ben chuckled lowly and pointed to a shadowy area just beyond the carriage house. Rey shivered and her breath hitched when she felt the wet warmth of his tongue gently on her neck. “You taste so good here. Like sugar and flowers.”

“I make my own sugar scrub,” she responded shakily. “With lavender I grow in my garden.”

Ben hummed his pleasure and released her, giving her a gentle push towards where he said his car was.

Rey scampered forward, her steps uneven, almost trembling. She found the car and unlocked it, even though the top was down. She wasn’t about to leap over the door in a skirt, even though she was overcome with an incredible urge to do so. Ben was at her side in an instant, opening the door for her and handing her inside. Rey hardly needed the help, but she definitely wasn’t going to refuse a chance to touch him. His hand was so large and strong as his fingers gripped hers. She began to imagine those hands travelling up and down her body, fingers stroking and parting hot sensitive flesh…

Rey shook her head and turned the key in the ignition as Ben slammed the passenger side door closed, the engine roaring to life. She knew exactly where she wanted to go.

“What were you thinking about, just then?” Ben asked, pure heat and want in his voice.

Rey blushed as she unlaced the ties of her wedges and tossed them in the backseat. “You. Your...hands. And...your fingers,” she replied hesitantly, pressing the clutch and brake pedals experimentally.

Ben placed his hand gently on her knee, fingers stroking softly as she shifted the car into first gear and pulled out of the shadows.

***

The summer air roared around them as Rey drove down the winding gravel roads, swaying grass and trees illuminated by strong headlights. The wind was making a mess of her hair, but she could care less. She felt like a bird, flying high. Reaching a fairly straight stretch, she downshifted then slammed the gas, shifting higher into third gear, fourth gear, then fifth. She let out a loud excited whoop, drawing a laughing smile from Ben. He squeezed her knee tighter.

She slowed when she recognized the landmarks that lead to her destination. The dilapidated barn and fallow field. The sudden hills. Finally, the turn. Turning right, she followed the narrow road until it dead ended in an apparent forest. Killing the engine, she sat back, breathless, and tried to tame her hair. She winced and grimaced as she tugged at knots and snarls. Ben tapped her arm with something. Looking at him, she saw the glove compartment was open and he was holding a brush. 

“Thanks,” she murmured, tugging the implement through her hair.

“No problem. Where are we?” Ben asked, looking around at the dark trees that surrounded them.

“Can’t you smell it?”

Ben raised his nose, inhaling deeply. “I think so? But how?” he asked, confused.

Rey tossed the brush back to him. “Do you have a blanket? And a flashlight?”

“Trunk.”

Rey felt around for the trunk release, smiling triumphantly when she found it on the first go. Exiting the car, Ben made for the trunk and Rey went to the edge of the road. About a foot from the curb was the forest. Handing her the flashlight, Ben took Rey’s hand as she flicked on the heavy light, it’s strong beam illuminating a faint path through the trees. Rey led him through, carefully picking her way in bare feet, barely noticing the roughage beneath. After a few yards, they started to descend, the ground becoming less solid beneath their feet as earth gave way to sand and the foliage became less dense, moonlight peeking through boughs and branches. Switching the flashlight off now that they had the moon to guide them, Rey turned to Ben.

“You might want to take off your shoes now,” she said as she pulled him out of the trees onto the crest of a sand dune. She smirked when she saw Ben’s mouth drop open as he took in the sight. The full moon illuminated a glorious landscape. Massive sand dunes, primeval forest, a vast freshwater lake that seemed to stretch on forever. The faint hiss of the waves crashing was the only sound, save for their breathing.

Rey watched as Ben took off his shoes, appreciating the way his broad shoulders stretched his t-shirt. She led him down a narrow path that followed the edge of their dune, descending gradually, until they reached the rise of the next. Rey helped Ben spread the blanket out in the cradle between the two ancient behemoths, forged long ago by receding glaciers. This spot offered the perfect vantage point to take in the view of the water and the landscape, and far enough away from the trees that insects wouldn’t bother them. Rey laid on her back, lacing her fingers behind her head and stared up at the star strewn sky, Ben following suit but folding his hands over his stomach instead. Rey dug her toes into the cool sand and breathed deeply, taking in the smell of sand, water, and dune grass. They pointed out constellations and shooting stars in hushed voices, recounting the occasional myth to each other. As Ben lifted his arms above his head, Rey caught his scent on a faint breeze and shivered pleasantly. She recalled reading somewhere that scientists were still unsure if humans emit pheromones, but right now she was pretty sure all signs pointed to ‘yes.’

“I had no idea this was here,” Ben murmured after awhile, the awe evident in his voice.

“No one does,” Rey replied, rolling onto her side to look at him as he watched the sky.

Ben rolled over onto his side to look at her, mirroring her position. Rey smiled and reached out, her fingers smoothing back some of the hair that had fallen into his eyes.

“Thank you for sharing it with me,” Ben rasped as he pushed himself up. Rey held still as he leaned over her, caging her in with his arm and torso, looking down into her eyes, a question in his. 

Rey smiled up at him, resting her hands on either side of her head. “You can kiss me now, Ben,” she whispered, her words dancing along on the gentle breeze.


	10. Take Me Home, Country Roads

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ahem  
> Note the rating change ;O)  
> Thank you all so so so much from the bottom of my heart for your support and kind words. They mean the world to me.  
> I will probably write a short epilogue, but otherwise, this is the last chapters my dears  
> *mwah

“So, why Summer Niima?” Ben asked quietly.

They were driving back from the dunes, and Rey was trying very hard to focus on the road and not Ben’s hand as it traced lazy swirls up and down her thigh beneath her skirt. She was gripping the steering wheel so hard, her knuckles were almost white. She didn’t dare look at him, otherwise she knew she’d see the large bulge in his jeans, and she most certainly did not need the additional distraction.

“I’m sorry?” Rey squeaked. Ben had insisted on putting the top up, so she could hear him just fine, but for some reason, probably something to do with his large hand coasting up and down her thigh, she had lost her command of the English language. 

Ben laughed lowly. “Your pseudonym. Why Summer Niima? Why not just go with R. Johnson or something?”

“Oh. Umm, I always liked the idea of a pseudonymn as a kid. I don’t know about you, but when I was little, I always imagined a different life for myself. Shedding my old identity and becoming someone new. That whole thing. When I got older, I learned to embrace who I was, be proud of what I’d accomplished. But, I liked the idea of privacy. So, yeah. Summer Niima. My favorite season and the town I grew up in,” Rey rambled, trying to distract herself from the heat buzzing through her blood, through her nerves. _Almost there._ It had been so long, and he was so warm, so gentle, but so… Rey couldn’t think of a word for how he’d been when they’d kissed under the stars.

When he’d kissed her, his lips had been so soft, his mouth caressing hers languidly, like he was savoring her. Until Rey had shyly touched his plush bottom lip with her tongue, begging tentatively for entrance. Then, he’d turned hungry, demanding, interlacing his fingers with hers and holding tight. When he’d pulled away to catch his breath, they were both breathing heavily, chests heaving. Rey could feel her cunt throbbing, and she blushed, hard, when she felt an insistent hardness against her thigh. The wind had picked up and started blowing sand every which way then, so they ran pell mell back to the car, Ben a bit more awkwardly. Rey had jumped in the driver’s side and started for home, not even thinking twice about where she was headed.

“Autumn.”

“What?”

“Autumn is my favorite season.”

Somehow, that didn’t surprise Rey. Nor did the fact that he called it ‘autumn’ instead of ‘fall’, like a normal person.

“What was it like, growing up in Niima?”

Rey sighed. “Hot and cold, all at the same time. A lot of people don’t know this, but deserts can get really cold at night. Even more so if you’re a small lonely kid like I was...” Rey trailed off, drawn into her memory, following it like the headlights of the Corvette followed the curving road ahead of her. 

“Rey?” Ben prompted, giving her thigh a squeeze.

Rey started, shaking her head. “Sorry. It’s not something I like to remember.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dredge up old pain,” Ben said genuinely, rubbing his hand reassuringly across her skin. Goosebumps rippled across her skin, and she shivered pleasantly. Ben hummed in appreciation.

“It’s okay. It’s something I’ll have to come to terms with someday,” Rey replied softly. As she pulled up to her kitchen door and killed the engine, she turned to him, placing her hand over his, and murmured, “But not today. Not tonight.”

Ben smiled a curious smile, one filled with passion and promise as he reached for his door handle. He was out of the car and opening her door in the blink of an eye, and Rey chuckled breathlessly. He slammed her door shut as she took his other hand, leading him up to the dark kitchen door. Rey fumbled with her keys before finally managing to get it unlocked, pushing open the door and tossing the key on her counter. Ben tossed his car keys next to hers on the counter while Rey flipped on the light over her oven. She was suddenly nervous, and she fiddled with her skirt and knotted her fingers together.

“Can I get you something? Water or tea?” Rey stammered, looking at the tile of her kitchen floor, her cabinets, the grease spots on her stovetop, everywhere but at him. She spun around and grabbed the handle of the kettle much harder than was necessary, trying to take deep breaths. Why was she so nervous? _It’s not like you’re a virgin,_ Rey thought. _I mean, it’s been awhile, but that shouldn’t matter._ She wasn't afraid of him hurting her.

She jumped when she felt Ben’s arms wrap around her waist, reassuring and strong. He rested his chin on her shoulder gently, pressing a soft kiss to her neck, nuzzling into her hair. Rey felt herself trembling.

“You don’t need to be nervous,” he whispered. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Rey relaxed against him, resting her arms over his. That made her feel better. 

“Thank you. It’s not that I don’t want to. I’ve dreamt of this for so long. I just…” Rey sighed. “It’s been a long time. What if...I’m not...what you imagined? What if...I’m not what you want?” Her old insecurities were bubbling up from the recesses of her mind, and she couldn’t help blurting them out to him, albeit haltingly.

She gasped when she felt him grind against her backside. The hardness of his erection caused her to blush furiously.

“Does this feel like I don’t want you, Rey?” he growled against the skin of her throat.

Rey felt her voice constrict in her throat, her body shaking like a leaf in the breeze.

His arms pulled her closer to him, his hold tightening. “Answer me, Rey.”

“N-no.”

“Good,” he purred as he delicately licked the fragile shell of her ear. “Now, do you want me to fuck you on your kitchen floor, or do you have somewhere else in mind?”

His words galvanized something inside her, and she managed to disentangle herself from his hold, turning around to face him. The way he was looking at her, pupils blown wide with lust, his color high, made she lips part and her breath start coming out as shallow puffs of air. _This was happening._

“This way,” she cooed invitingly, feeling bold, as she ducked under his arm, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward her living room, toward the stairs that led to her bedroom. She didn’t bother turning on any lights; she knew the way. She shrieked with laughter when she felt him pinch her bottom, causing her to scurry up the stairs faster.

Reaching her bedroom at the end of the short hall, she went to her bedside table and tugged on the pull of the small lamp. It illuminated the cozy space weakly, the low wattage bulb only meant to be used as a reading light. Rey watched Ben as he looked around her room. She was a creature of comfort, and the space was strewn with numerous blankets and pillows. A wool blanket was folded neatly beside a couple of square down pillows in the window seat. A chenille throw was tossed across the arm of an overstuffed armchair, and her bed was a downy mess of fluffy pillows, linen, and cotton. Rey blushed. She hadn’t made her bed. She didn’t think anyone else would be seeing it tonight. _Boy was I wrong,_ she mused as she went to her vanity and began to pull the pins from her hair. She’d pinned it up when she’d gotten back in the car while Ben put the top up. She had a tendency to play with her hair when she was nervous.

She watched as Ben came up beside her in her mirror, their eyes never leaving each others’ in the reflection. Rey’s fingers stilled and were replaced by Ben’s in her hair, his large but dexterous fingers making quick work of the rest of the pins. He carded his fingers through her hair slowly when he was done, watching the warm brunette strands wind and weave around his fingers. Rey closed her eyes and bit back a moan as the tingling sensation chased down her spine.

Ben made a tsking sound and ran his fingers down either side of the ridge of Rey’s throat, causing her mouth to open slightly. “Who’s around to hear?” he whispered darkly.

“No one,” Rey whimpered as he began to caress her collarbone and sternum with featherlight strokes.

“Mmm, not quite. I want to hear you, Rey,” Ben commanded, withdrawing his fingers from her skin. Rey whined at the loss of contact and tried to spin around to face him, but Ben wouldn’t let her. He crowded her against her vanity, and she stilled when she felt his fingers again, but this time at the waistband of her skirt. He ran his fingers along the thick band of silk, looking for the zipper. Smiling in triumph after his brief search, he tugged the pull down gently, easing the frothy fabric away from her hips. Rey’s hands fluttered to her midriff, playing with the hem of her tank top nervously. She began to chew her lip, conflicting emotions swirling inside her. She knew she shouldn’t feel ashamed of what her body looked like, but it was hard. She glanced up to Ben’s eyes in the reflection of her mirror, and any insecurity she felt was banished from her mind. 

His eyes never leaving hers, he kissed the freckled skin of her shoulder as he slid the straps of her tank top down, pulling the loose silk garment down to expose her breasts. Rey watched the flush bloom across her exposed chest.

“Fuck,” Ben proclaimed as he pulled the top down past her hips to join her skirt on the floor. Rey watched as he took one of her breasts in his large hand, kneading and palming the supple flesh. Letting out a soft moan, she rested her head back on his shoulder as he began to pull and pinch the dusky pink flesh of her nipple, the sensitive skin puckering and hardening under his fingers. Rey tentatively reached for the hand he was resting on the curve of her hip, pulling it toward her center, where she could feel her nerves thrumming.

“Please, Ben,” she whispered against his jaw, pressing gentle kisses to the skin beneath his ear.

“So beautiful,” Ben murmured in reply, his fingers reaching beneath the lacey band of her underwear to stroke her. She watched with half lidded eyes as his widened when he felt how wet she was. She smiled and sighed in pleasure as she felt him eagerly part her flesh.

Rey moaned indecently as Ben stroked her gently but firmly with his fingers, using one to rub and circle the tight bundle of nerves within the velvet folds. Rey felt her knees begin to shake as he worked her faster, pressing one wet fingertip into her entrance, swirling it experimentally. She realized she was grinding against his hand, desperate for more, but she couldn’t find it in her to care.

“Ben!” she cried when he finally pushed the teasing digit all the way inside her. He thrust it in and out of her a few times, adding in another to help stretch her. 

“God, you’re so tight. So wet for me,” he growled against her neck, the pleasure evident in his voice.

Rey mewled her agreement as he fucked her slowly with his fingers, crying out lewdly when he crooked them _just so_ and hit that one spot that she could never quite reach on her own unless she tried _really_ hard. She felt a strange, tight sensation building low in her abdomen.

“Feels so good,” Rey babbled. “Ben, I going to…”

She shrieked and arched her back when the tight sensation inside her finally snapped, releasing a torrent of sensation that radiated out of her core to the tips of her fingers and toes. She fell limp and boneless against Ben’s broad frame, panting hard. Ben withdrew his fingers from her slowly, making her shudder. Keeping her supported with his chest and shoulders, he slipped her soaked underwear off, scooped her up into his arms, and carried her to her bed.

After laying her among the soft linen and down, Ben stepped back. Rey watched with heavy lidded eyes as he pulled his shirt off over his head, then worked to unbutton his jeans. He pulled them off, none too gently, along with his black boxer shorts before climbing over Rey’s prone form on the bed. Rey wrapped her arms around him, her nails digging into his back as he kissed her deeply. She opened for him willingly, moaning as his tongue ravished her mouth. She might have been sated, but he was starving, and that thought got her blood moving faster again. He was thrusting firmly against her, desperate for the friction, and Rey was shocked at how hard he was against her, how hot. He pulled away from her mouth and groaned as he ground against her harder, faster. 

Rey realized he was losing a hold of himself, and she reached between them, wrapping her hand around his thick cock. Ben stilled immediately, looking down at her, eyes wild. Holding his gaze, she pumped the hard, silky flesh slowly, smiling when his eyes practically rolled back. She insistently guided him to her entrance, spreading her legs wider to accommodate him. She arched a brow when Ben froze.

“Condom?” he asked, his voice rough.

“Are you clean?” Rey whispered.

He nodded.

“Me too. IUD. Don’t bother,” she murmured succinctly, smoothing some hair back from his sweat streaked forehead.

She smiled widely when Ben looked at her with almost pure reverence. She wrapped her legs around his hips eagerly, urging him on. He took himself in hand, teasing her clit with the tip of his cock. Rey began to pant and moan again, her back arching and relaxing against the mattress. When she was whimpering for him, Ben began to press into her, causing her to cry out sharply.

“I’m so sorry!” Ben said, alarmed, trying to pull back.

“No!” Rey cried, realizing that he thought he’d hurt her. “You feel so good, Ben,” she reassured him in a gentle voice, touched by his concern. She watched the ripple of a swallow chase down his throat. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down to her. 

Feeling how hesitant he still was, she nipped his ear playfully. “I won’t break, Ben. Fuck me with that thick cock,” she purred darkly.

Rey began to worry when he remained still. Dirty talk wasn’t her forte, but he’d seemed so keen on it earlier.

“What a filthy mouth you have, Rey,” came a dark whisper beside her ear. 

Rey smiled and thrust her hips upward encouragingly, moaning when she felt the hardness of him slide through her wet folds against her over sensitized nerves. She screamed out in pleasure when Ben grabbed her hips roughly and thrust himself inside her, burying himself to the hilt.

“Fuck! Ben!” she screamed as she felt her walls adjusted around him, taking him in. Ben kneaded the flesh of her hip as he began to thrust in and out of her slowly, his hips rolling rhythmically. 

“You feel so good, Sweetheart. You take my cock so well,” he praised.

Rey could only whimper in response, drunk on the pleasure his body gave her. Rey felt the tight sensation building again, and she keened as Ben relentlessly rode her. He grabbed one of her legs and pushed it further up his side, allowing him to drive into her further, harder until she was screaming for him to make her come.

Ben was nothing if not obliging, and he raised himself up a bit, changing the angle between them ever so slightly. It was all Rey needed, and she felt herself release again, coming at last with a mewling moan.

When his own release came, Ben held nothing back. He groaned loud and long, shuddering as he released inside her, pumping her full of his spend. Rey wrapped her arms around his sweat slicked back, pulling him back down to her. Ben was heavy on top of her, but Rey didn’t mind as she smoothed her hands up and down his back, calming him. He pulled out of her with a deep groan, and Rey winced. She flushed when she felt their combined fluid spill between her thighs, but she had no energy to get up and clean herself. 

Ben rolled off of her onto his back, taking several deep breaths before heaving himself off the bed with a grunt. Rey rolled onto her side, hoping to mitigate some of the mess, as he pattered to her bathroom. She heard water rushing out of a faucet, and she was half asleep when Ben got back to the bed a moment later. He coaxed her onto her back again, pressing a warm washcloth between her thighs. Rey hissed at the sensation as Ben gently wiped the sticky fluid from her body. Thus cleaned, Ben went back into the bathroom to toss the washcloth in the sink. Already half asleep again, Rey felt him climb into bed beside her, his weight depressing the soft mattress so much she all but rolled into his side. She muttered a bit as she wriggled next to him, throwing one slim arm over his chest. Wrapping one of his arms around her, he reached over her with the other and tugged the lamp pull, plunging them both into summer’s velvet darkness.


	11. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know why I pretended there wouldn't be an epilogue
> 
> The dress Rey is wearing can be viewed[ here](https://www.twigsandhoney.com/collections/bridal-attire/products/hummingbird-lace-flutter-sleeve-dress-style-th2116), her hairpiece[ here](https://www.twigsandhoney.com/collections/hair-adornments/products/opal-daydreams-infinity-vine-style-844)  
> Also, please forgive the shameless _Pride and Prejudice_ 2005 reference. It was just too damn perfect
> 
> Thanks for joining me on my totally self-indulgent journey!  
> I know there wasn't a whole lot of, character building, I guess you could say. Characterization, I mean. Not a lot of backstory to our beloved Space Children.   
> I really just wanted to write a story that gave me the warm fuzzies using atmosphere and setting as a kind of main character in addition to Rey and Ben. Someplace I could lose myself in for a little bit when I feel like everything in my real life is going to shit. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, I guess it's not. Other people have it worse than you, be thankful for what you have and all that. Big picture. Whatever. Yay for fanfiction!

Rey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It had been a long day. The strains of Loreena McKennitt’s ‘The Mummer’s Dance’ were still running through her head, visions of Ben twirling her around Netherfield’s patio still danced. His hand had felt so sure on her waist as he spun her, his fingers confident as he held hers. They had glowed as they danced their first dance together, putting the white fairy lights Finn had strung up to shame. Her in ivory lace, him in black silk brocade.

A gentle summer breeze wafted around her, floral and sweet. It promised rain. She was sitting on a bench in her garden, night having long since fallen. The sky was a velvet navy, the only sound the zephyr through the nearby trees and flowers. The breeze fluttered the butterfly sleeves of her ivory lace dress, a kind whisper against her skin. Her silk slip dress was cooling in the night air beneath the lace, a welcome feeling. Rey leaned back against the bench, finally feeling her body relax. With her eyes closed, she could hear the distant calls of summer’s night birds, the rustle of small nocturnal creatures scurrying nearby, the nitter natter of cicadas. Night’s symphony. She spun her simple gold wedding band around her finger while she listened.

She heard him then, her Ben, stepping along her garden path with soft footsteps towards her. She smiled but didn’t open her eyes when she felt him lean over her, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head, mindful of her artful coiffure and intricate hairpiece. Her brow arched in confusion when she felt him slip something metallic into her hand. She opened her eyes and looked down, letting out a small laugh when she saw her butterfly comb resting in her palm.

“How are you this evening, my darling?” Ben asked quietly.

“Very good, but don’t call me that,” Rey laughed and wrinkled her nose. “It’s too...precious.”

“What can I call you then?” Ben replied with a low laugh of his own.

Rey hummed a moment, thinking. “Well, ‘Rey,’ obviously, for everyday. ‘My Love,’ for Sundays. ‘Sweetheart,’ for bed.”

Ben nodded, his face mockingly serious. “And what about when I’m mad at you? Mrs. Solo?” The joke being, of course, that Rey had kept her last name, since she held several copyrights under that name.

Rey exaggeratedly held her hand to her chest and gasped. “Oh no! You may only call me ‘Mrs. Solo’ when you are indescribably, incandescently happy.”

“I see,” Ben snickered, taking her hand in his. “And how are you this evening, Mrs. Solo?”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her fingers.

“Mrs. Solo.”

Rey giggled when he kissed her forehead.

“Mrs. Solo.”

Her giggling died down when he kissed her cheek.

“Mrs. Solo.”

She fell silent when he kissed her lips, his mouth soft and sweet. She wrapped her arms around his neck and scooted closer. Ben took his cue and scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the house.


End file.
